my first remote job on upwork

terrible experience. a client from the UAE wanted 40 custom elementor pages in under 72 hours for 150 usd. it smelled wrong from the start.

the request was unrealistic and disrespectful. i rejected it. that decision changed how i view freelancing. no more chasing lowball gigs, no more doing work that devalues the craft.

since then i stopped relying on freelance platforms. most clients now find me through referrals or by seeing my portfolio. five people reached out just from the site, and i still haven’t done seo. that taught me that reputation and real work matter more than algorithms.

the ask

the brief was absurd. 40 custom pages, tight deadline, tiny budget. i’d seen bad briefs before, but this one felt exploitative. i didn’t want my work to be treated like a commodity.

saying no

i said no. it wasn’t just about money, it was respect. turning that job down felt risky then, but it was necessary. it freed me to look for better matches.

new approach

referrals became my main channel. word of mouth felt cleaner. people who hire you through referrals already know what to expect and value your work.

what changed

quality clients showed up. the work became more rewarding and better paid. i also started thinking about basic seo so more people can find the portfolio without crawling platforms.

advice

learn to say no. value your time. and build a reputation that finds clients for you.